


if you're with me then let's leave now (oneshot)

by transjnpr



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:48:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28103469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/transjnpr/pseuds/transjnpr
Summary: Neopolitan had always been meant for fighting. She was small enough to trick opponents into underestimating her, and agile and skilled enough to take them down in an instant. And hey, it was fun, she couldn’t deny that. There was no other way she’d rather spend her time.She could not say the same for Emerald Sustrai.
Relationships: Neopolitan/Emerald Sustrai
Comments: 3
Kudos: 43





	if you're with me then let's leave now (oneshot)

**Author's Note:**

> !! slight spoilers for v7c6 of rwby!!
> 
> a good friend of mine told me there were no spumoni fics on this got damn site and i said 'fuck that' so now there is

Neopolitan had always been meant for fighting. She was small enough to trick opponents into underestimating her, and agile and skilled enough to take them down in an instant. And hey, it was fun, she couldn’t deny that. There was no other way she’d rather spend her time.

She could not say the same for Emerald Sustrai.

Sure, the green-haired girl certainly tried her best to play the part. She put up a tough, no-nonsense persona, but it was painfully easy for Neo- and probably everyone else- to see past that. This was a terrified, pitifully lonely teenager, who’d clearly been manipulated into this by someone who clearly didn’t give two shits about her. She was good at fighting for sure, but she was not meant for it.

Against her nature, Neo felt incredibly sorry for her. How could she not, when she’d known the small comfort of being taken in by a parental figure who _actually did_ care about her? When it was so clear that Emerald saw Cinder the same way Neo had with Roman, only Roman had actually treated Neo as an equal and had clearly cared about her? Poor Emerald was deluding herself with the idea that Cinder could care about _anyone_ other than herself.

And hey, maybe she was being hypocritical. She after all, was choosing to work with Cinder herself. However, _she_ had realized full-well by now that Cinder didn’t value her as anything more than an ‘asset’ and was regretting her choice to partner up with her more and more every day. Especially when this place, these people, were extremely unnerving even to Neo. Never in her life could she have imagined herself hanging out inside a giant Grimm while some tall witch lady spawned her forces all over the city of Atlas.

And yet, here she was, standing on…Grimm flesh, or whatever it was, alone in a dark part of the whale with Emerald, waiting for the orders of someone she had absolutely no respect for. She shook her head at herself. _Roman would be so disappointed in me._

She cast a hesitant look at Emerald, who was slumped against the ‘wall’, unsure if she should try to converse with her in some way. It could perhaps ease some awkward tension, but Neo couldn’t be sure of how the other girl would react. Once, they’d gotten along fine, back before either of them had known how deep they were getting. But now, Emerald was different. More closed-off, and far too desperate to prove herself to Cinder than to try being friendly. Neo wondered if she was jealous that Cinder had chosen to work with her, especially after Neo had been her first choice of help for their failed mission to take the Winter Maiden’s powers. Perhaps talking to her wasn’t the best idea after all.

“Hey…Neo?”

Neo glanced back at Emerald as the taller girl spoke, hesitance in her voice. Looked like they’d be talking anyway.

Emerald’s crimson gaze was dark. “Do you think…we’re doing the right thing?”

Neo wasn’t sure how to respond. ‘Doing the right thing’ had never mattered to her. What mattered was survival, specifically, _her_ survival. ‘The right thing’ had no relevance to that.

Emerald looked away, avoiding her gaze. “Never mind,” She said quickly. “It shouldn’t matter.”

 _It shouldn’t,_ Neo thought privately, _but it certainly does to you_. She wondered why. She couldn’t recall Emerald ever caring about ‘the right thing’ before. She hadn’t worried about that when they were planning to take down an entire school and everyone in it. Then again, perhaps it had been the reality of actually doing such a thing that had Emerald thinking this way now. Neo couldn’t exactly blame her. That night had been nothing but a disaster, as far as she was concerned.

She moved closer to Emerald, deciding to be blunt with her. Once the other girl looked at her, she signed, ‘ _You shouldn’t be here_.’

Emerald rolled her eyes. “I know, I should be out there, helping take down Atlas. But Cinder won’t-”

Neo shook her head sharply, cutting her off. ‘ _No. You shouldn’t be_ here _. In this place, with these people. It isn’t for you_.’

Emerald looked taken aback, her eyes widening before they narrowed. “What?? And leave Cinder here, with nobody to care for her?” She shook her head stubbornly. “I can’t. I won’t abandon her.”

Frustration sparked inside Neo. ‘ _She doesn’t care about you. You must see that_.’

Emerald bristled, looking deeply offended. “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” She snapped. “Cinder took me in when nobody else would. She gave me a home, a _purpose_. You wouldn’t get it.”

Neo wished she could yell. ‘ _I ‘get it’ more than anyone else here_.’ She signed, frustrated. ‘ _I know what it’s like to be alone and to be taken in by someone who looked after me. But I also know what it’s like to_ actually _be cared for. And that’s_ not _what Cinder’s doing_.’

Emerald scoffed. “You mean _Roman?_ Come on, he was an asshole.”

Anger pulsed through Neo and she grabbed Hush on instinct, baring her teeth at the insult. Emerald flinched at the sudden movement, and Neo forced herself not to lash out, lowering her weapon and trying to calm herself. She wasn’t going to treat Emerald like Cinder did. She refused.

‘ _He was my_ father,’ she signed instead. ‘ _He wasn’t an asshole to me_.’

“And what makes you so sure of that?” Emerald demanded. “If you don’t think Cinder cares about me, how do you know Roman wasn’t the same?”

‘ _I know_ ,’ Neo signed. ‘ _I know because I was the only person he didn’t treat as less than himself. I was his equal, even as a kid. He never blamed his losses on me. He never pushed me too far. And he was_ always _there when I needed him_.’ She gave Emerald a serious look. ‘ _Can you say any of that about Cinder?_ ’

Emerald looked hopeless. “I…” She slid down the wall and buried her face in her arms, not responding as her hands clutched at her sleeves. In the moment, she looked younger than ever.

 _She knows Cinder doesn’t care,_ Neo realized. _She knows deep down, but she can’t admit it._ Feeling more sorry for her than ever, Neo found herself sitting beside the other girl on the uncomfortably-warm flesh of the whale Grimm.

After a moment, Emerald looked up slightly, so that her eyes were visible above her arms. “Don’t pity me,” She snapped, added more quietly as she buried her face again, “I don’t deserve it.”

Neo didn’t reply. Emerald wouldn’t have seen if she did anyway. Instead, she lifted her hand and placed it over Emerald’s, not sure of what she was doing, just knowing it felt…right. Emerald shifted slightly at the touch, but made no attempt to move away.

Sitting together in silence, it was easy for Neo to remember that brief time she’d spent with Emerald before the Fall of Beacon. When this had been nothing more than a large dust thievery mission, and the two of them had played pranks on the adults along with Mercury. When they’d laughed together, and discussed what they’d do after this was all over. When Emerald had almost been someone Neo could call a friend, though future crime bosses couldn’t have friends, because making friends meant making weaknesses. That was what Roman had always told her, from a young age.

She missed him dearly. Being without Roman hurt more than anything else in the world; a worse kind of pain than Neo could have imagined. She’d loved him, respected him.

But he wasn’t here now. He was gone, and nothing would bring him back. And here Neo was, helping the people who’d gotten him in this mess in the first place. Cinder had told her to blame Ruby, but deep down, Neo knew who’d gotten Roman killed. And it wasn’t some seventeen-year-old girl.

There were no rules anymore. The laws of survival that Roman had taught her had all but been thrown out the window, tossed into the wind the moment Neo had realized just how deep this all went. Survival was supposed to be more important than doing ‘the right thing’, but what if the best way to survive was to _do_ the right thing? Criminals weren’t supposed to make friends, but then why did Neo feel such a strong desire to do something, _anything_ to help Emerald?

Everything had been turned upside down. Nothing made _sense_ anymore.

She closed her fingers slightly around Emerald’s hand. Maybe…maybe the rules didn’t matter anymore. Maybe the rules just couldn’t apply in a time like this.

There was only one thing she was sure of right now, and that was that Emerald needed to get out of here. And if nobody else was going to help her, Neo would just have to do it herself. She couldn’t place why, but looking at Emerald, Neo saw someone worth throwing everything away for. Someone more important than survival, more important than everything she’d learned growing up on the streets. Someone worth being… _better_ for.

She found herself leaning on Emerald’s shoulder, pleasantly surprised when Emerald leaned back so that they rested together in what was probably going to be the last peaceful moment they’d get until this was over. Neo decided to cherish it.

Fuck the rules, Neo decided. Emerald wasn’t meant for fighting. And Neo was going to help her escape it. And if she could avenge Roman by taking down the people who were _really_ responsible for his death, even better.

For once in her life, she’d do the right thing.


End file.
